The Schiff campaign's new mailer, set to go out at the end of the week, will contain some hard hits on his fellow Republican, Linda McMahon, the party convention's endorsed candidate.

"We've got a direct mail campaign that's starting this week and it is going through the election,'' Schiff said Tuesday, during his regualr YouTube video. "It's a great campaign, negative on Linda, positive on me. Remember none of the Republicans have seen any negative mail on Linda so far so this is going to be the first time that she's going to take a hit  and I think we've got some good stuff on her.''

The McMahon campaign, meanwhile, is largely ignoring Schiff. When she appeared on Sean Hannity's show earlier this week, she talked about Rob Simmons but brushed aside Hannity's question about whether she has "more Republican challengers" and never mentioned Schiff's name.
  

Rob Simmons sent an email out to supporters this afternoon explaining why he's running for U.S. Senate.

"Republicans need to take a serious look at the candidates and the issues to decide who will stand strongest against Richard Blumenthal and the Democrats in November. While I have no intention of tearing down my fellow Republicans, or undermining our eventual Republican nominee, I believe I provide Republicans with a better choice.
 

The state legislature could meet as early as Friday in special session to fix the state's landmark campaign finance law.

Part of the law has been ruled unconstitutional, and lawyers have been studying exactly how to fix the law. The timing is important because many candidates are in the middle of political campaigns, and the primaries have been set for August 10.

"I think there's a strong likelihood we will be in session Friday,'' Doug Whiting, a spokesman for House Speaker Christopher Donovan, said Wednesday afternoon. "It's not nailed down yet. [Senate President Pro Tem] Don Williams put the odds at 90 percent.''

He added, "I would say everybody is anticipating coming in on Friday, and everybody is not in 100 percent agreement'' on how to fix the law. "We've not told them it's a 'go' yet.'

The top six leaders of the legislature met Wednesday with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell. They discussed various aspects of the law, and Rell made it clear that she would not support raising the grants for the gubernatorial candidates.

Talk of raising the grants began after a federal appeals court in New York last month ruled that parts of the fundraising mechanisms of the state's clean elections program were unconstitutional, in particular one of the law's trigger provisions. It provided supplemental campaign funding for participating candidates who were being substantially outspent by wealthy, self-funded opponents.

Some lawmakers were considering the idea of increasing the initial $3 million grants to gubernatorial candidates participating in the general election to keep them competitive. Rell told the legislative leadership that she is adamantly opposed to the idea.

"All of those candidates that are in the clean elections program were counting on the trigger mechanism if they had a wealthy opponent spending all kinds of money," Rell said Wednesday in a radio interview recorded and distributed by her office. "I am not supporting raising that threshold. I told the leaders that today. We're in the middle of the cycle. You are two weeks away from the primary. You don't know who is going to win that primary.

"But frankly, right now, with the economy what it is, and the money that we have already adjusted for the campaign finance from last year's budget, we're giving candidates once they qualify after the primary, if they are in the clean elections program, $3 million. That is more than enough. And if their opponent is very, very wealthy and wants to spend $20 million, what are we going to do? Give them $8, $10, $12 million, $20 million? The answer is no.

"Frankly, this is kind of a strange election year. I don't think any of us expected this many candidates to be in there and frankly so many self-funded candidates to be in there."

Currently, those qualifying for public financing in the primary phase of the election cycle receive a base grant of $1.25 million and then a subsequent grant of another $1.25 million - depending how much their opponent spends. As such, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy have received $2.5 million for their campaigns. 

Three Republicans clashed sharply on campaign finance reform and the state budget Wednesday night in a key debate less than two weeks before the August 10 primary.

As the debate began, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele was asked about his differences with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Fedele responded that he would never have allowed the massive, $19 billion state budget to go into effect without his signature, which is what Rell did.

"I would have vetoed that, and I expressed that,'' Fedele said.

But his opponents took a sharply different position from Fedele regarding his role over the past 3 1/2 years as the number 2 official in the state government.

"I certainly hope that Lt. Gov. Fedele accepts more responsibility than that'' from the Rell administration, Foley responded. "During this administration, of course, government spending has gone up dramatically. ... For you to say you had nothing to do with this, I find, disingenuous.''

Fedele countered that Foley's comments were "probably as accurate'' as Foley's failure to mention an arrest, in the Hamptons on Long Island in 1981, on a national security form that he was required to fill out.

Concerning state finances, Fedele said, "The lieutenant governor does not propose a budget. The governor does. ... Not one state employee in this state has lost their job in this recession. I'm not demonizing them.''

Longtime business executive R. Nelson "Oz'' Griebel said to Fedele: "I don't see how you separate yourself from the Rell administration.''

The three candidates stood on the stage at the Garde Arts Center in New London - a traditional spot for election debates. They were questioned by two journalists from News Channel 8 and The Day of New London in a debate that was moderated on the stage by Ann Nyberg of News Channel 8.

Regarding campaign finance reform, the candidates clashed over using public money for political campaigns. Both Foley and Griebel are raising money privately for their campaigns, while Fedele has accepted $2.5 million in public money through the campaign finance system.

"The law works in terms of corruption,'' Griebel said. "The idea of using taxpayer money for elections is totally inappropriate.''

But Fedele responded that both the federal and state courts have ruled in his favor repeatedly so that he could receive public money for his campaign. Since receiving the money, Fedele has launched an extensive advertising campaign that is currently playing on Connecticut TV stations.

"Tom was wrong four times, and Oz tagged along on those,'' Fedele said.

"Mike, I would think a candidate for governor would know the difference between the Supreme Court of the United States and the State Supreme Court,'' Foley responded. "The lieutenant governor is a multi-millionaire who, we've learned in the last couple of days, drives a Maserati and a Ferrari.''

But Fedele defended himself regarding a video that has been circulating recently on www.YouTube.com that shows him arriving at the state Capitol in Hartford in a Ferrari for the annual fundraiser that involves a collection of Ferraris that show up on the Capitol grounds. Fedele steps out of his car to the tune of rap music that was played as part of the video.

"It was a charitable thing that we were doing that day,'' Fedele said.

When asked by a TV reporter about Rell's support of campaign finance reform and her high poll ratings, Foley said, "Just because you have a high approval rating doesn't mean you're right. ... We can't afford it, and it doesn't work.''

Foley criticized Griebel for his final report after five years as the chairman of the state's Transportation Strategy Board. Foley said flatly that the state does not a transportation plan.

 "To me, a plan over 200 pages long is not a plan. It's a dissertation,'' Foley said. "We need a plan.''

But Griebel responded that the plan, finished in 2003, is about 30 pages long. Griebel reiterated his position that the state will continue to have financial problems because officials have not replaced the money that previously went into various projects before the state's gasoline tax was cut sharply.

Chester First Selectman Thomas E. Marsh is also in the race as an independent candidate, but he has not been involved in any of the recent major-party debates on television.

The Courant's editorial board endorses Rob Simmons over Linda McMahon and Peter Schiff.

Read the endorsement here.

What do you think? Do you agree?

Republican Peter Schiff spoke of his support for a federal flat tax at Tuesday night's U.S. Senate candidates debate.

Now the political godfather of the flat tax movement, former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, has endorsed Schiff.

"I have known Peter Schiff for several years,'' Forbes said in a press release issued by the Schiff campaign. "He has a deep knowledge of finance and economics. He had long warned of the troubles we now face. As your citizen-Senator he will be a fierce fighter for cutting spending, cutting taxes and repealing Obamacare."

Forbes has publicly endorsed just three other U.S. Senate candidates this cycle: Mark Rubio in Florida, John McCain in Arizona and Rand Paul in Kentucky.

It's official.

Ned Lamont will debate Dannel Malloy on Tuesday at the WFSB studios in Rocky Hill, according to Lamont's spokeswoman, Justine Sessions.

"He was hoping this campaign would be on the issues, but he's seen Dan go negative with aggressive, negative, false attacks,'' Sessions told Capitol Watch. "Ned has decided he needs to stand up and confront Dan. Ned's decided the best way to clear the air is with a debate.''

Sessions said that Lamont called the moderator of the debate, Dennis House of Channel 3, to confirm his appearance. The debate will be broadcast at 3 p.m. on Channel 3 and on WNPR radio, and it will be re-broadcast later that night.

Malloy has been pushing for weeks for a televised, one-on-one debate.

Oz Griebel is hungry to be governor.

The former college baseball pitcher is far behind in the polls, but he is not giving up in his battle for the state's top spot. Griebel has been trailing by more than 25 percentage points for months, and the latest Quinnipiac University poll in mid-July had him behind Republican front runner Tom Foley by 41 points with 32 percent of Republicans still undecided.

The primary is August 10.

Details are at http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-griebel-governor-0729-20100729,0,6831796.story

Democratic state Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo wrote a letter Thursday to the congressional committee that confirmed Tom Foley's 2006 nomination as ambassador to Ireland, seeking any public documents from that confirmation process -- including Foley's answers to questions about his personal background. Foley is now a Republican candidate for governor.

DiNardo said her request was prompted by a Courant story last week that said Foley wrote on background-check forms for his ambassador's nomination that he had never been charged with anything more than a "minor traffic offense" - even though he'd had been arrested, but not convicted, on charges of first-degree attempted assault in 1981 and breach of peace in 1993.

"I am writing to request any public documents pertaining to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's confirmation hearings of Thomas C. Foley of Connecticut when he was nominated to be Ambassador to Ireland," DiNardo wrote Thursday to the committee's chairman, U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts. DiNardo acknowledged she wanted the information for possible campaign use, saying, "I am doing it because I do feel that the people of Connecticut have a right to know what Tom Foley's record is."

The main target of Peter Schiff's new ad is his Republican rival, Linda McMahon. But the spot also lands a glancing blow at Democrat Richard Blumenthal.

"Liberal McMahon supports taxpayer-financed government bailouts,'' the ad states. "That's right, just like Dodd and Blumenthal, Linda McMahon will be another vote for Obama's taxpayer-funded bailouts.''

Except Blumenthal doesn't support taxpayer-funded bailouts, says Blumenthal campaign manager Mindy Myers.

"Dick Blumenthal and Peter Schiff both oppose the TARP bailout -- Schiff's ad is misleading and wrong,'' Myers said in a statement. "Dick opposed the Wall Street bailout because it didn't do enough to help people. Peter Schiff can criticize Linda McMahon for supporting billions for Wall Street but not Dick Blumenthal."

After more than three weeks of pressure, Democrat Ned Lamont suddenly agreed Thursday to debate former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy next week in a one-on-one television debate.

Many political observers said it was a major mistake for Lamont to avoid debating, and Malloy himself predicted it would backfire. Now, Lamont says he has agreed to debate because of Malloy's two negative television commercials that have included attacks on Lamont's business career. The first started Friday night -- more than two weeks before the August 10 primary.

"We thought we were going to have a positive last two weeks of the campaign,'' Lamont said in an interview Thursday. "Dan went up with a hard negative commercial with attacks on me and my company. We've had to respond. All of a sudden, the world changed in a week. I had to figure out what's the best way to respond to these claims.''

Lamont said the attack was not unexpected because Malloy had run a commercial near the end of the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial primary that depicted New Haven Mayor John DeStefano in a dress in an attempt to make a point about women's health care.

"We saw the dress ad,'' Lamont said. "I can't say we were shocked. ... If you want to talk about the folks who have been in my company for 25 years, let's do it face to face. I'm ready to respond.''

Malloy's campaign has charged that Lamont laid off workers and that 70 percent of the employees have left the company. Lamont, though, has countered that he sold a division of the company, and many of his employees went to work for new cable operators.

The debate will be broadcast at 3 p.m. on WFSB-TV, Channel 3 and on WNPR radio, and it will be re-broadcast later that night on Connecticut Public Television and on public radio.

Malloy has been pushing for weeks for a televised, one-on-one debate, saying that the joint appearances with multiple candidates do not provide for detailed exchanges between the two top Democrats. Malloy could have received one hour of free television time next week, but he said he wanted to have Lamont on the stage instead.

"I hope Ned will agree to a wide-open format that allows us to engage each other directly in a real conversation,'' Malloy said in a statement. "Ned himself has said he doesn't like the 'one-minute canned response format.' I couldn't agree more. So let's not do that.''

"There are some real difference between Ned and me, in terms of our values, experience, positions on key issues, and visions for how Connecticut state government should be run,'' Malloy said. "The contrast couldn't be any sharper, or the choice any more clear. The best way to allow voters to make that choice is for them to see and hear us side by side in an open discussion.''

Lamont has been running a front-runner's strategy of avoiding debates. In the same way, Republican Linda McMahon and Democrat Richard Blumenthal did not show up at a debate Tuesday night at Trinity College in Hartford. Four other candidates, however, debated that night.

From her daily schedule:

Linda will be touring Main Street businesses in Mystic starting at approximately 4:00 p.m. (56 West Main Street) and concluding at 5:30 p.m.

The vacationing Rick Green took a few minutes on the beach to ponder why John Kerry got ensnared in scandal for registering his boat in a tax haven while Linda McMahon and Tom Foley haven't faced similar consequences.

"Kerry shamelessly tells reporters that he 'always' intended to pay Massachusetts taxes on his yacht. But at least he's paying up to the tune of $500,000,'' Green writes. "Foley and McMahon, 'business' leaders who would save Connecticut, can't even be bothered to do that."

I asked the McMahon and Foley campaigns for a response to Green's blog post.

Ed Patru, McMahon's spokesman, said the McMahon family yacht is "is registered and docked in Florida because the only time it is ever used is when they are staying at their home in Florida on vacation.

"I don't believe the boat has ever left Florida. They have a vehicle down there as well that doesn't have Connecticut plates, because it never leaves the state,'' Patru said via email. "I think everyone including Rick Green understands the difference between that, and docking a boat a few miles down the coast for no other reason than to avoid paying taxes."

I have yet to hear back from the Foley camp.

Republican Tom Foley, a friend of former President George W. Bush and the U2 rock band from his days as ambassador to Ireland, is seeking to become Connecticut's governor in his first run for public office.

He has been involved in various controversies and has been criticized by his two opponents, but he leads in the Republican primary in the latest Quinnipiac University poll by 35 percentage points.

A profile is at http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-primary-gov-tom-foley-0730-20100730,0,6528236.story

As the legislature prepared to hammer out a fix for the public campaign finance law, Senate Minority leader John McKinney held a press conference and decried the pervasiveness of negative ads.

He kicked things off by screening two spots by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Malloy and Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Fedele. Each ad (linked below) contained harsh words about the business experience of their respective opponents, Ned Lamont and Tom Foley.

Both Malloy and Fedele are accepting public funds, which means, according to McKinney, that the ads are "paid for by the taxpayers of the state of Connecticut.

"Those are negative attack ads. They don't tell you anything about the candidate, what the candidates policies are, what they're going to do about our state budget defecit, what they're going to do about an unemployment rate at nearly 10 percent,'' McKinney said. "People are sick and tired of this kind of negative campaign ad.''

And using public money makes it all the more offensive, McKinney said, adding that he strong opposes increasing grant for gubernatorial candidates to $6 million.

"Here we are today in the face of our worst economic recession and they want to increase spending $6 million,'' McKinney said. "Boy, these food banks could use that $6 million.,..our homeless shelters could use that $6 million, kids in our inner cities could use that $6 million. But no, we're going to feed it to politicians to run that crap. That is wrong and we will stand up as a caucus and say enough is enough."

The state legislature is in special session today, but the action had still not yet on the Senate or House floors as the clock moved toward 4 p.m.

Lawmakers are trying to work out a fix to the landmark campaign finance law after a federal judge ruled portions of the law was unconstitutional. One of the key provisions is the trigger mechanism, which was designed to award more public money to qualified candidates if a millionaire opponent spent above a certain limit. As such, the publicly funded candidate would have a better chance to compete against the better-funded millionaire.

"Anything with a trigger is complicated in this legislature - whether it's the NRA or campaign finance reform,'' said state Rep. Stephen Dargan, a veteran West Haven Democrat with nearly 20 years at the Capitol.

Dargan voted in favor of the landmark law, but he still had some reservations.

"I wasn't overly enthusiastic, but they thought it would clean up the election,'' Dargan told Capitol Watch.

The bitter battle between Democrats Ned Lamont and Dannel Malloy continued Friday with more charges and countercharges between the campaigns.

Lamont's campaign manager, Joe Abbey, criticized Malloy for accepting campaign contributions from employees of companies that held contracts while he was mayor. In addition, he raised the issue of the 17-month criminal investigation by the chief state's attorney's office that focused on city contractors who performed work on Malloy's home in the affluent Shippan section of Stamford.

Malloy, however, was never charged in the case, and prosecutors released an unusual letter at the end of the inquiry that there was "no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing'' in the case.

The New York Times cited city records when it reported during the inquiry in 2004 that two city contractors - Gunzy Electric and Shapter Construction - had performed work on Malloy's house and had also received no-bid contracts from the city. But Malloy consistently said that he paid everyone who worked on the home, and he provided canceled checks as proof. The Gunzy and Shapter firms received nearly $100,000 for work at the home, and Malloy turned the canceled checks over to prosecutors.

The Times also reported that Malloy had said on a local cable television news station that none of the contractors on his had received no-bid contracts and instead had responded to a request for proposals or issued sealed bids in a competitive bidding process.

"Dan claims that his behavior as mayor is acceptable because he was not prosecuted for it,'' Abbey said in a statement Friday. "It's sad that politics in Connecticut have reached such a low that the standard by which politicians are judged is whether or not their abuses of the public trust land them in jail. The facts are the facts. Dan Malloy handed out no-bid contracts to companies that held fundraisers for his multiple campaigns or performed renovations on his home.''

The Hartford Courant has endorsed House majority leader Denise Merrill in the Democratic primary for Secretary of the State.

The endorsement will be in Saturday's newspaper.

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/

Rob Simmons' new ad doesn't mention Richard Blumenthal or Vietnam.

But the message is clear. The 30-second spot, part of a $250,000 television ad buy, focuses on service, whether that's in the military, in the fire department or in the Boy Scouts. It ends with a photograph of Simmons in uniform.

The ad also doesn't mention Simmons' multi-millionaire Republican opponent, Linda McMahon. But it does land a glancing blow in her direction: "The right to serve is earned,'' an announcer says. "It's not bought. It's not entered into on a whim."